DRK Proudly Presents...

Hip-Hop!!!

How y'all doing today? Hope you don't have a foot of snow in your area of residence like we do here in northeastern Ohio. My name is Esco, and I represent the "Rhymes" wing of Dogs, Rhymes, and Karma. Anyways, apologies to chrono for never posting before this.

So, today I suddenly had the urge to write about producers in the hip-hop world. Now, in the beatmaking world, there are plenty of stars, just as in the emceeing world. Old timers like Kanye West, DJ Premier and the late J Dilla are always a treat to listen to, especially when paired with the right rapper, like say Eric B. & Rakim and Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth. Of course, as time goes on, more beat makers come into the light. Lately, Don Cannon has become this unabashed Pete Rock stan's favorite producer. The man's work is amazing. From Young Jeezy's "Go Crazy" and "Mr. 17.5" to Ludacris' "Everybody Hates Chris" and "Undisputed", Cannon has produced some of the most infectious songs in the last five years.

Anyways, off of Cannon for a second, production adds a certain mystique to a song. Any song that gets blessed by a Andre 3000 verse is special, but the dreary, almost eery beat in "The Art of Storytellin' Pt. 4" by Don Cannon (maybe we're not off him) adds a certain braggadocio to the song. Laid back yet in your face, the beat excels at showcasing the amazing lyrical skills of the two OutKast members. Whilst my rock-fixated brethren may find lack of change in chords or whatnot boring, hip-hop heads would certainly appreciate the beat for the purpose it so aptly serves, that as a platform for the emcee to showcase his skills. This, I believe, is a fundamental difference between rock and rap fans, the former thriving on the diversity and variety of sounds found in a certain song, while we hip-hoppers are simply satisfied by a beat that sounds nice and helps listen to listen to the performer's message. For example, the Nas song "The Message", deemed a classic by most rap fans, and would potentially bore most stereotypical rock fans. But that's neither side's fault. We're both products of our environment.

When it comes to pure beatmaking, another one of the greats around these days is Black Milk. His 2008 album "Tronic" was one of the best all year, but extremely slept on, right up there with Killer Mike's "I Pledge Allegiance To The Grind II" and Ice Cube's "Raw Footage. The song "Give The Drummer Sum" has a beat might actually have the cross-over appeal to rock fans, due to the captivating drum beat in the back ground and an amazing horn sectin on the chorus. (While the rapping and hook may be annoying to those who aren't fans, keep in mind the beat is what I'm talking about.)

Well, I unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your point of view) have to cut this short.

One love,

Escobar Caesar III

Dogs, Rhymes, and Karma Presents its First Post

Hey there.

Listening to anything? I'm sure you are; music saves your life, as proclaimed by Fuse -- channel 339 on your DirecTV programming, if you have it. Whether you're head bobbing to the flow of Lupe Fiasco or Dre, getting lost in the bluesy groove of "When the Levee Breaks", or relishing in the modern music world's finest entrees, such as Iron & Wine, this is a place for you to come and share interests with a few others who will be on a regular basis showcasing anything from album reviews, to music video posts that are to be named at a later date. I'm Mac, one of many authors thats interests in music stretch far and wide, and not just limited to one genre, or sub-genre, for that matter. Just yesterday I was escaping to my room and seeking refuge in the music of Eminem; the day before, it was most definitely a mixture between artists from styles like psychadelic, thrash metal, and piano rock.

But that's just a side-note, the purpose of today's post, the first post, is to get things started, simply, and without great effort -- the good stuff will come later and often.

Last year, notable names that were inducted into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame were John Mellencamp, Madonna and the Dave Clark Five, among many, many others. In January of 2009, we'll get five more, along with many other people that contributed to the greatest (Dare I say it!) genre in music. As of yesterday, it was announced that the committee had narrowed their list down to nine-artists, and here they are:

Bobby Womack

Chic




Jeff Beck

Little Anthony & the Imperials

Metallica

Run D.M.C.

The Stooges




Wanda Jackson

War

Taking a look at the list very quickly, I must admit that at the age of 19, not all of the artists are familiar to me. Some of the names -- Beck, Stooges, War -- are recognizable, but I've never heard much of anything out of them. Others -- Metallica -- are utter obsessions, as you'll come to find out I'm sure, unless I'm able to do the unthinkable in containing it.

Then there's the artists that the future Hip-Hop contributors will be able to relate too: Run D.M.C. It doesnt come as a surprise that they're there, because, really -- Madonna, Michael Jackson, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five -- yea, there's a history of non-rock artists making it, but that's an argument that'd end up being as much of a quagmire as the Iraq War. (Oops, forgot to not get political)

And of course, who can overlook the disco heart-throb, Chic?

There's a few shoe-ins -- Metallica, Jeff Beck, The Stooges; the rest are up for debate.

Either way, I'll be the one yelling at the TV "WHERE'S IRON MAIDEN?!?!" when the program is aired next year on VH1 Classic.



Your thoughts?